Power transmission means



May 5, 1942.

v 's. H. BROOKS POWER TRANSMISSION MEANS Filed Aug. 21, 1940 2Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR A 3 MA/ BY L ATTORNEY y 1942- s. H. BROOKS2,281,913

PbwER TRANSMISSION MEANS Filed Aug. 21, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Q7 7 V z0a4 INVENTOR, I L/q w 0% mbm Patented May 5,1942

UNITED srATEs "P rowan, TRANSMISSION MEANS Application August 21, 1940,Serial No. 353,478

3 Claims.

This invention relates to machine elements,

particularly coupling elements, and more especially power transmissionmeans.

A principal object of this invention is the production of a device ofthe type specified which is so constructed that allparts may be easily,suificiently, and properly lubricated.

A further object oi the invention is the provision of a device of thetype specified which will be simple in construction, readily built,easily installed and maintained, and durable and eflicient in operation.

Further objects and advantages will appear as the description or theinvention and the particular physical embodiments selected to illustratethe invention progresses, and the novel ieatures will be particularlypointed out in the appended claims.

In describing the invention in detail, and the particular physicalembodiments selected to illustrate the invention, reference will be hadto the accompanying drawings and the several views thereon, in which,like characters of references designate like parts throughout theseveral views, and in which:

Fig. l is a side elevatlonal view, with some parts broken away to moreclearly illustrate the construction and different possible positions oisome parts shown by dotted lines, of a device errlbodying the invention;Fig. 2 is a top plan view or the device as shown in Fig. l: Fig. 3 is asectional view on the plane indicated by the line nu -arr oi Fig. 2,viewed in the direction of the arrows at the ends of the line; Fig. l isa sectional view on the plane indicated by the line IV-IV of Fig. 3,viewed in the direction of the arrows at the ends of the line; Fig. 5 isa cross sectional view on the plane indicated by the line V-V of Fig. 1,viewed in the direction of the arrows at the ends of the line; Fig. 6 isa side elevation of Shaft 3 is iournaled in al eusing F5, and shaft 4ls'lournaled in a housing 6.

The housings d and t are pivoted one on the other so as to beoscillatable about the axis "i so that the shafts t and d may takevarious angular positions one to the other through an arc oi 90 degreesin the plane oi the drawing paper and in all other planes passed throughand including the longitudinal axis of shaft l. One extreme of the arcis occupied by the shaft 3, as shown in full lines in Fig. l, and theother bythe dotted line position of shaft in the same figure. Theextreme position in one direction, the full line position of shaft it inlllg. l. is determined by the engagement of limiting stops and 9, one onhousing: and the other on housing 6.3. The lim- 1 iting position attheother extreme is preferably determinedby the engagement oi-the edgesof the housings 5 and ii.

A preferred construction for pivoting one housing on the other into formmating ears, in pairs, as ll and it on housing andears l9 and 30 onhousing ii. Each ear is orifice'd and pivot pins 3i and 32 arepositioned in the orifices.

The socket member i is, preferably, substantially a disc with aplurality oi soclrets, it, in the form shown, t, formed in its outer, ormating a ball gear usable with the invention; Fig. 7 is a side elevationof a socket sear; Fig. 8 is a cross sectional view, corresponding to thecross sec tional view Fig. 3, of a modified form of the in ventlon; Fig.9 is a view, corresponding to Fig. 6, of a ball gear usable with themodifiediorm of the invention as shown by Fig. 8.

The interconnecting or driving and driven parts of my invention, asillustrated in Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive, are the members i and 2, one ofwhich, say i, is attached to a shaft 3 which is driven in any suitableor appropriate manner and causes, by its motion, a. movement of member 2and so o sh ll ac ed thereto.

face, at the edge thereof. This socket member i is preferably formedwith a through orifice ll into which extends the reduced end it of theshaft 3, the socket member seating against the shoulder it. The socketmember 6 is preferably retained in place on shaft 3 by means of theheadless screw it.

The ball member 2 is positioned and retained on shaft 6, preferably, inan exactly similar manner to the way in which socket member i is mountedand retained on shaft 3. This ball member 2 has, in general, the form ofa disc having positioned about its periphery, a plurality, in this case,8, teeth it, each terminative in a head, which is hemispherical orglobular.

The proportlonina' of the parts is such that the hemispherical heads ittit and mesh with the reversely formed sockets iii of the socket memberI so that a rotative movement oi either causes a rotative movement ofthe other.

lhe housing 5 is formed with a Screw threaded cavity is, continued by asmall bore duct it terminating at the inside surface of the bore ororifice il' in which the shaft is positioned. The shaft 3 is reduced indiameter from the mouth of the duct it to the shoulder is, thus formingan annular duct. The annular duct It connects with a plurality of ductsit, each terminating in ATENT OFFICREQSSUED cor 241944- a socketdepression II. Lubricant may be forced into duct It and so to each orthe socket depressions It so that these may be well lubricated at alltimes. To conveniently do this, the commonly used fitting 2|, known asan Alemite fitting, may be preferably employed. By the means shown, notonly the socket depression l0, well lubricated but also, the contactingsurfaces of the socket member and the housing I and also the journal forshaft 8.

Housing 6 is similarly constructed to housing to lubricate the shaft 4and the bearing surface between the member 2 and housing 6.

As it may be necessary to, at times, position one or the other of thehousings I or 8, each is formed with cylindrical protuberance, as 22 and23. One or the other of these may be grasped by a stationary stirrup andso held. To assist in the positioning of the housing in the stirrup, acollar, as 24 and 25, is adjustably positioned on each of the shafts 3and 4. This collar is held in ad- .lusted P sition by any suitablemeans, as by a set screw. as 28.

ass gns Fig. 8 illustrates a modified form of physical embodiment of theinvention adapted for transmitting a larger force. In this iorm, thegeneral arrangement is the same as is the form shown by Figs. .1 to 5inclusive. a

In the form illustrated by Fig. a, radial thrust bearings, 33 and 34have been installed to reduce friction. Needle bearings 35 and. 36 havealso been included. The lubricant ducts have been slightly altered toproperly conduct the lubricant to the various surfaces. Annular felt 37and It ha been positioned to prevent undue escape oi lubricant betweenthe gears and the housings, and felt 39 and 40 has been interposedbetween the collars and the end of the housings to prevent escape oflubricant at such points. The driving teeth 4| corresponding to theteeth M of Fig. 3 have been made as a separate part and inserted in disk42 in orifices, as 43, formed therein. The teeth are held in place inany suitable or appropriate 'manner, the construction shown includescooperating shoulders at 44 and a headed end 45.

Although one particular physical embodiment oi my invention and onemodification only thereof has been described, nevertheless, it isdesired to have it understood that the form selected are merelyillustrative and do not exhaust the possible physical embodiments of theidea of means underlying the invention.

What is new and desired to secure by Lett rs Patent of the United Statesis:

1. In a lubricated shaft, and gear, including, in combination: a housingformed with an orifice for receiving a shaft; a shaft positioned in theorifice; a gear attached to the end of the shaft, said gear formed withducts, said shaft formed with a reduced portion adjacent to andextending to the gear, and communicating with one end of the ducts;means to lead lubricant to said reduced portion extending to the gearface whereby lubricant may then pass through the through ducts in saidgear.

2. In a lubricated shaft and gear, including, in combination: a housingformed with an orifice for receiving a shaft; a gear in the housing; ashaft in the orifice of the housing and attached to the gear andextending without the housing; means, including an annular space formedby reducing the shaft, and ducts in the gear whereby lubricant isdirected through the gear.

3. In a lubricated shaft and gear, including, in combination: a housingformed with an orifice for receiving a shaft; 9. gear in the housing; ashaft in the orifice of the housing and attached to the gear andextending without the housing; means, including an annular spacesurrounding the shaft, and ducts in the gear whereby lubricant isdirected through the gear.

STEPHEN H. BROOKS.

